DAWSON GROUP NAMED NATIVE HAWAIIAN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR BY AMERICAN SAVINGS BANK

HONOLULU – American Savings Bank recently presented its 2007 Native Hawaiian Business of the Year Award to the Dawson Group at the annual Council of Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) conference. The award, now in its fourth year, recognizes native Hawaiian entrepreneurs and businesses that work to support and advance the native Hawaiian community.

Marlene Lum, senior vice president of Retail Lending for American Savings Bank, presented the award to Beadie Dawson, founder of the Dawson Group, and her daughter Donne Dawson. “Supporting native Hawaiian businesses is something that we take very seriously at American Savings Bank,” said Lum. “Honoring companies and individuals that make a difference, such as the Dawson Group, helps to create public awareness of native Hawaiian businesses who are doing positive things in our communities.”

Past recipients of American Savings Bank's Native Hawaiian Business of the Year Award are Manuheali‘i, Native Books/Na Mea Hawaii , and Hui Ku Maoli Ola.

About American Savings Bank
Serving Hawaii 's businesses and communities for more than 80 years, American Savings Bank is Hawaii 's third-largest financial institution with $6.8 billion in assets and the second-largest branch network in the state, with 63 branches and over 225 automated teller machines. American Savings Bank provides a full range of financial products and services, including commercial banking and consumer deposits and loans. For more information, visit www.asbhawaii.com .

About Dawson Group
Founded in 1994, the Dawson Group provides remediation technology and related field services throughout Hawaii , as well as environmental cleanup and assessment, bulk fuel inspection and repair, and general contracting services. Chris Dawson, president of the Dawson Group, was instrumental in the establishment of the Native Hawaiian Corporation, a non-profit organization created to promote business activities that benefit native Hawaiians. Chris Dawson also played a key roll in supporting the legislation which allows Small Business Association-certified native Hawaiian organizations contractual capabilities similar to those of Alaskan Native Corporations.